L’Amicale 2025 – A weekend that brought us together
L’Amicale 2025 – What we’ll remember from the time we shared
Last weekend in St-Luc-Chandolin, 50 of us came together for a ski touring and splitboarding weekend that felt like something more than just an event.
It was the first edition of L’Amicale, co-organized by POMOCA and our friends at Glacier Optics, and the idea behind it was simple: spend a few days in the mountains, meet new people, learn a few things, and enjoy each other’s company without filters, algorithms, or pressure.
We’ll remember the snow under our feet, the sun on our faces, and the peaceful rhythm of touring — but most of all, we’ll remember the warmth of the people we met, the conversations we had, and the sense of community that formed so naturally.
Pictures: Michael Cordey
Learning by doing — and laughing along the way
L’Amicale’s aim was to make mountain knowledge more accessible. Whether someone was just discovering ski touring or already had years of experience, the event offered space for everyone to grow.
Throughout the weekend, participants took part in a variety of practical workshops led by seven certified guides, covering key mountain skills: avalanche beacon searches, rescue scenarios, terrain awareness, and decision-making in complex environments. With support from mountain safety experts like Dr. Alex Emery, Air Glaciers' first-aid doctor, the sessions were rooted in real-life experience and designed to build confidence.
For some, the weekend was a chance to step outside their usual comfort zone — whether that meant refining basic techniques, gaining more confidence in complex terrain, or tackling steeper slopes than usual. Others took the opportunity to try something entirely new, like rappelling into a line for the first time. The atmosphere remained open and encouraging throughout, with everyone learning from one another and sharing the joy of being in the mountains.
More than mountains: conversations, connections, and après-ski
Beyond the learning, L’Amicale was about human connection — the kind that forms when people come together with open minds, open hearts, and a shared love for being outside.
Afternoons were spent soaking in the sun in front of the Grand Hôtel du Cervin, with toes out of ski boots, plates of raclette from La Laiterie d'Orsières in hand, and plenty of laughter in the air. Conversations flowed as easily as the melted cheese, with stories from the day, dreams for the next tour, and a genuine sense of community that’s hard to fake — and even harder to forget.
Among those shared moments was a meaningful exchange between freeride skier and mountain guide Jérémie Heitz and filmmaker and skier Nicolas Falquet. As longtime friends who’ve spent years navigating big mountains side by side, they brought not only experience but a genuine sense of camaraderie to the conversation.
They spoke about trust, risk, decision-making, and the responsibility that comes with venturing into complex terrain — but also about friendship, intuition, and the deep, unspoken bonds that form in the mountains. It was a moment that resonated quietly, reminding us that what we carry back from the peaks is often as much about who we share them with as where we go.
A first edition — and the beginning of something bigger
Launching a new event is always a leap of faith. Will people come? Will they connect? Will the energy feel right? For us, L’Amicale 2025 was all the proof we needed that when you focus on the right things — safety, inclusivity, curiosity, and joy — the rest follows.
We left with tired legs, sunburnt noses, and full hearts. And from what we heard on the final day, so did everyone else.
Plans for a second edition are already in the works — new location, new people, same spirit. We can’t wait to share what’s next.
Until then, here’s a look back at a weekend we won’t soon forget.
Relive the vibes
Video: Nicolas Falquet